Performing radio measurements of downlink signals

Abstract

An apparatus, comprising: means for obtaining radio environment information related to at least one downlink signal received by a user equipment using at least one currently-active reception antenna panel of a plurality of selectively-activatable reception antenna panels; and means for reconfiguring at least one of the plurality of selectively-activatable reception antenna panels to be used for performing radio measurements of a downlink signal to be one of active and inactive in response to a variation in the radio environment information.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. An apparatus, comprising:
 at least one processor; and, 
 at least one memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to at least: 
 obtain radio environment information related to at least one downlink signal received by a user equipment using at least one currently-active reception antenna panel of a plurality of selectively-activatable reception antenna panels; and 
 reconfigure at least one of said plurality of selectively-activatable reception antenna panels to be used for performing radio measurements of a downlink signal to be one of active and inactive in response to a variation in said radio environment information, wherein the at least one memory and instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to reconfigure said at least one of said plurality of selectively-activatable reception antenna panels between a plurality of different predefined ordered active/inactive states, wherein each higher-ordered active/inactive state configures at least one of an increased number of active reception panels and an increased number of downlink signals to be measured compared to a lower-order active/inactive state. 
 
     
     
       2. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said radio environment information is obtained from at least one of: a sensor on said user equipment; said radio measurements of said at least one downlink signal received by said user equipment using said at least one currently-active reception antenna panel; and from information from a base station providing said at least one downlink signal. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one memory and instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to reconfigure said at least one of said plurality of selectively-activatable reception antenna panels between a plurality of different active/inactive states to vary at least one of a number of active reception antenna panels to be used for performing radio measurements and a number of downlink signals to be measured in response to said variation in said radio environment information. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one memory and instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to reconfigure said at least one of said plurality of selectively-activatable reception antenna panels to a higher-ordered antenna panel configuration state from said ordered plurality of antenna panel configuration states to configure said at least one of plurality of antenna panels to increase temporarily a number of downlink signals to be measured. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one memory and instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to reconfigure said at least one of said plurality of selectively-activatable reception antenna panels between said plurality of different ordered active/inactive states in response to said variation in said radio environment information indicating a change in signal quality of said at least one downlink signal received by said user equipment using said at least one currently-active reception antenna panel which is greater than a threshold amount, and wherein the at least one memory and instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to vary said threshold amount based on a proximity to a serving base station. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus of a  claim 1 , wherein the at least one memory and instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to reconfigure said at least one of said plurality of selectively-activatable reception antenna panels between said plurality of different ordered active/inactive states in response to said variation in said radio environment information indicating a change in a movement state of said user equipment, and wherein said movement state comprises at least one of movement and rotation of said user equipment. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one memory and instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to reconfigure said at least one of said plurality of selectively-activatable reception antenna panels between said plurality of different ordered active/inactive states in response to said variation in said radio environment information indicating a change in a presence of a signal-blocking object between said user equipment and a base station transmitting said at least one downlink signal. 
     
     
       8. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one memory and instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to reconfigure said at least one of said plurality of selectively-activatable reception antenna panels to a higher-ordered active/inactive state to increase a number of downlink signals to be measured in response to said variation in said radio environment information indicating at least one of:
 a decrease in signal quality of said at least one downlink signal received by said user equipment using said at least one currently-active reception antenna panel; 
 a decrease in signal quality of said at least one downlink signal received by said user equipment using said at least one currently-active reception antenna panel for a time period; 
 that a signal-blocking object is near a base station providing said at least one downlink signal; 
 that said user equipment is rotating; 
 that said user equipment is moving; 
 that said user equipment is moving greater than a threshold amount. 
 
     
     
       9. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one memory and instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to reconfigure said at least one of said plurality of selectively-activatable reception antenna panels to a higher-ordered active/inactive state to increase a number of active reception panels in response to said variation in said radio environment information indicating at least one of:
 that said user equipment is rotating greater than a threshold amount; 
 that that a signal-blocking object is near said user equipment. 
 
     
     
       10. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one memory and instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to reconfigure said at least one of said plurality of selectively-activatable reception antenna panels to a lower-ordered active/inactive state to decrease a number of downlink signals to be measured in response to said variation in said radio environment information indicating at least one of:
 an increase in signal quality of said at least one downlink signal received by said user equipment using said at least one currently-active reception antenna panel; 
 an increase in signal quality of said at least one downlink signal received by said user equipment using said at least one currently-active reception antenna panel for a time period; 
 that no signal-blocking object is near a base station providing said at least one downlink signal; 
 that said user equipment is not moving; 
 that said user equipment is moving less than a threshold amount. 
 
     
     
       11. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one memory and instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to reconfigure said at least one of said plurality of selectively-activatable reception antenna panels to a lower-ordered active/inactive state to decrease a number of active reception panels in response to said variation in said radio environment information indicating at least one of:
 that said user equipment is not rotating; 
 that said user equipment is rotating less than a threshold amount; 
 that that no signal-blocking object is near said user equipment. 
 
     
     
       12. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said radio environment information is obtained from at least one of a sensor on said user equipment, said radio measurements of said at least one downlink signal received by said user equipment using said at least one currently-active reception antenna panel and from information from a base station providing said at least one downlink signal. 
     
     
       13. A method, comprising:
 obtaining radio environment information related to at least one downlink signal received by a user equipment using at least one currently-active reception antenna panel of a plurality of selectively-activatable reception antenna panels; and 
 reconfiguring at least one of said plurality of selectively-activatable reception antenna panels to be used for performing radio measurements of a downlink signal to be one of active and inactive in response to a variation in said radio environment information, wherein reconfiguring at least one of said plurality of selectively-activatable reception antenna panels comprises reconfiguring at least one of said plurality of selectively-activatable reception antenna panels between a plurality of different predefined ordered active/inactive states, wherein each higher-ordered active/inactive state configures at least one of an increased number of active reception panels and an increased number of downlink signals to be measured compared to a lower-order active/inactive state. 
 
     
     
       14. User equipment comprising:
 at least one sensor; 
 a plurality of selectively-activatable reception antenna panels; and, 
 circuitry configured to— 
 obtain radio environment information related to at least one downlink signal received by the user equipment using at least one of one currently-active reception antenna panel of the plurality of selectively-activatable reception antenna panels, the at least one sensor, and information from a base station providing said at least one downlink signal, and 
 reconfigure at least one of said plurality of selectively-activatable reception antenna panels to be used for performing radio measurements of a downlink signal to be one of active and inactive in response to a variation in said radio environment information, 
 wherein the circuitry is further configured to reconfigure said at least one of said plurality of selectively-activatable reception antenna panels between a plurality of different predefined ordered active/inactive states, wherein each higher-ordered active/inactive state configures at least one of an increased number of active reception panels and an increased number of downlink signals to be measured compared to a lower-order active/inactive state. 
 
     
     
       15. The user equipment of  claim 14 , wherein the circuitry is configured to reconfigure said at least one of said plurality of selectively-activatable reception antenna panels between a plurality of different active/inactive states to vary at least one of a number of active reception antenna panels to be used for performing radio measurements and a number of downlink signals to be measured in response to said variation in said radio environment information. 
     
     
       16. The user equipment of  claim 14 , wherein the circuitry is configured to reconfigure said at least one of said plurality of selectively-activatable reception antenna panels to a higher-ordered antenna panel configuration state from said ordered plurality of antenna panel configuration states to configure said at least one of plurality of antenna panels to increase temporarily a number of downlink signals to be measured. 
     
     
       17. The user equipment of  claim 14 , wherein the circuitry is configured to reconfigure said at least one of said plurality of selectively-activatable reception antenna panels between said plurality of different ordered active/inactive states in response to said variation in said radio environment information indicating a change in signal quality of said at least one downlink signal received by said user equipment using said at least one currently-active reception antenna panel which is greater than a threshold amount, and wherein the circuitry is configured to vary said threshold amount based on a proximity to a serving base station. 
     
     
       18. The user equipment of  claim 14 , wherein the circuitry is configured to reconfigure said at least one of said plurality of selectively-activatable reception antenna panels between said plurality of different ordered active/inactive states in response to said variation in said radio environment information indicating a change in a movement state of said user equipment, and wherein said movement state comprises at least one of movement and rotation of said user equipment. 
     
     
       19. The user equipment of  claim 14 , wherein the circuitry is configured to reconfigure said at least one of said plurality of selectively-activatable reception antenna panels between said plurality of different ordered active/inactive states in response to said variation in said radio environment information indicating a change in a presence of a signal-blocking object between said user equipment and the base station transmitting said at least one downlink signal.